How long for paint...?
 

...to cure before you can wax & buff it for the first time? I've heard anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months before doing it. The paint job was a single stage BC\CC. Can the car be driven while the paint cures? Looking for some education.

Thanks.

I would give the paint maybe 2 days before I would drive it.I know that the paint is hard about 30 mins after you spray it but the clear coat would be sticky yet.I wet sanded and buffed my car 3 weeks after I painted it.I waited about 1 month to put wax on it though,I heard that wax seals the paint to I wanted my car to "breath".

Matt-
Wet sand and buffing? Got a how-to? Or, should my buddy have someone do it right the first time?

not sure if you mean single stage AE or bc/cc. you can wet sand and buff in 24 hours but need to wait about a month to wax.

yes,use 1500 sandpaper and block the whole car down.Then use 2000.You have to use a block though if you use your hands you get ripples in the clear.After you block the car with water and the sandpaper,get a good scratch and haze remover.Don't go to pep boys go to a paint supplier near you and tell them what you need.They will know exactly what to give you.Use a variable speed puffer,with a wool pad for "cutting"the scratches out.Then use a polishing pad,sponge,whatever they have for polishing.Have you ever buffed a car before,It can be tricky but not hard once you get the hang of it.Wet sanding isn't hard just do as little as possible to it,the water will be milky in color that is the clear.Don't go till you see color in the water thats a oh sh!t.do alittle and buff, if its good stop if not note where the bad parts are and wet them some more.any more questions just ask.good luck.Just take your time and don't rush it.

3-M offers a 3000 grit disc that works great!! I start sanding with 1200 on a dry sanding DA system then follow it up with the 3000 and it already has a shine!! Buff with a foam pad and do tape the edges to keep from rubbing thru. 3-m offers a great rubbing compound that polishes by chemical rather than grit-PN 05933 and is pricey, yet works great. Base/clear seems more forgiving but I would tape the edges just to be safe. Wax within 2 weeks of paint/ buffing. For the first month, try to get the car in the sun as much as possible to let the paint cure unless it's been baked. Don't be shy about putting miles on it as it seems like the cure time has surpassed. Hope this helps.

Ice & Matt, thanks for the detailed info. Since my buddy has never done this before, he is REALLY hesitant about trying it on his brand new paint job. Where would rank this on a difficulty scale (1-easy, 10-no way Jose)?

i always colorsand the day after i paint. we waited 2 weeks on my buddys grand national and the paint was a real biatch to sand. took forever.
i would give it a 7 mostly because it takesa long time to get it done right.

You can wet sand and buff within a day or two. You can use a water based product such as 3M Finesse to clean the car up after you wet sand and buff. But I would not put any wax on it for at least 30 days. The VOC's in the paint will get trapped upder a polymer based wax and cause blistering. They need time to leave the paint.